Southern Baptists are responding to critical hunger needs in Kenya, where an estimated 250,000 people have been driven from their homes by violence that broke out after the controversial results of December’s presidential elections were announced.
Food packets containing rice, wheat flour, maize meal, beans, vegetable cooking oil and salt will be distributed in seven cities, with the International Mission Board’s Baptist Mission of Kenya coordinating the project. Baptist Global Response (BGR), a Southern Baptist international relief and development organization, has approved the release of $25,000 from the Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund to support the relief effort.
Other Baptist groups sending relief include Baptist World Aid, the relief and development arm of Baptist World Alliance, with $15,000 so far and Canadian Baptist Ministries with $20,000.
The turmoil has made travel difficult, so Southern Baptists have worked through Baptist Convention of Kenya leaders to assess the situation on the ground, said Mark Hatfield, director of BGR work in sub-Sahara Africa.
“The goal is to provide families basic food for five to seven days while they search for new places to live,” he said. “A long-term follow-up response will be considered after this initial response is carried out. We’re grateful that Southern Baptists are a people who care so we can reach out in emergencies like this to people in need.” (Compiled by TAB)
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